Page 10 of Unexpected Heroine

When I find them, I will fucking starve them of food, drink, light, and sleep for days on end.

I put a couple of ounces of water in her glass from the tap. “Here. Rinse your mouth.”

Taking the glass from me, she ambles to the sink to comply. Once she’s finished, she peers at me through gloomy eyes, with a questioning quirk of her brows. “Can I have some more water, or should I not drink again?”

I offer a quick nod, then refill the glass halfway. “Just sip it, sweetness. I know you’re thirsty, but go slow so you can hold it down.”

“Okay.” She takes it, her hands still trembling. This time, she heeds my advice.

After a few sips, she sets the glass on the counter and exhales shakily. Her eyes scan the kitchen, then glance toward the hallway. “As hungry as I am, I think I’ll wait on the crackers until after my shower. I don’t think I can eat until I brush my teeth anyhow.”

Fortunately, she has most of her toiletries and extra clothes here since she frequently sleeps over.

After I usher her into the bathroom, I strip off my shirt and turn on the spray. She doesn’t move to take off her clothes, merely lingering at my side, almost as if she’s lost. Is that exhaustion or something more?

Once I’m down to my boxers, I gradually approach, trying to get a better read on her. She’s locked in place, simply staring at the mirror. Her gaze rakes over her reflection, sweeping from side to side.

I do the same, noticing the cuts and bruises peeking out from her sleeves and over the stretched-out T-shirt collar. Although her skin is marred, it’ll never detract from her beauty. Nothing could ever dull her shine for long.

She stands there for what feels like a long time. Like a statue. A work of art, beautifully frozen in time, yet weathered and scarred by a punishing environment.

Without warning, her posture shifts, and she rolls her shoulders back. Her face grows more animated as her eyes scan the countertop and land on mine in the mirror. It’s like she’s snapped out of a fog. “You know what? I don’t think I have any contact lenses here.”

Odd thought to have.

And I know odd thoughts better than most.

Given how she was staring at herself in the mirror, perhaps she realized her vision isn’t clear.

“Do you know what strength your prescription is? I have some disposable lenses.”

Turning to face me, she casually drawls, “Let’s see. Does the forgetful one who hasn’t slept in days know the tiny numbers on the edge of her box of prescription contact lenses? I’m gonna go with no on that one, Einstein.”

The corner of my mouth threatens to quirk in amusement. Although there’s not a damn thing funny about tonight, she still makes me smile.

Of all the people in the world for this to happen to, Lettie’s the least deserving.

“I’ll grab the lenses after our shower, and you can try them. If they don’t work, we can call Freya to bring some over in the morning.”

As soon as her name passes my lips, it dawns on me that Freya’s probably anxiously waiting for news about her friend.

Lettie’s face scrunches, and her hands fly up to cup her mouth. “Oh my gosh. Poor Freya! She’s got to be worried sick about me. Does she know what happened?”

Blinking frantically, she shakes her head and continues rambling. “On Friday night, I told her I wouldn’t be home all weekend. What day is it? How long was I gone? I don’t have my phone, so I can’t text her to let her know I’m all right.”

Seeing that she’s starting to get worked up, I attempt to calm her. “Shh, it’s okay. I’ll let her know you’re safe.”

I take a deep breath, gripping her softly by the arms, encouraging her to focus on me. She does, closing her eyes and breathing in time with me.

“Now, to answer your other questions. Let’s see. It’s late Monday night, so you were gone for three days. Yes, Freya knows you were missing. She thought you were with me all weekend, and I thought you were with her. She messaged me this afternoon, wondering if you were coming home before work since you weren’t answering your phone. That’s when we realized you were in danger. She filed the police report while I got to work looking for you. As soon as we had your location, I brought in the team to get you out.”

Her lips round into an O shape as she exhales delicately. Tension seems to fade from her expression.

“After we shower, we’ll call Freya. Okay?”

She jerks her head from side to side. “No. Now. Can you message her now? I don’t want her to worry unnecessarily.”

My eyes bulge. “Unnecessarily? She fucking left you alone in a nightclub. She deserves to worry,” I quip sardonically, venom lacing my tone. “Freya can wait. Let’s focus on you first.”

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